"PAZ" 2007 Obituary

PAZMINO o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2007-06-01 published
Church overflowing for funeral of 'bright star'
'Don't let his name be forgotten,' uncle asks during two-hour
ceremony
By Alex DOBROTA,
PageA14
To his Friends and relatives, he was an artistic teenager with
a fascination for snakes and pranks, who still sucked on his
thumb at times - a star that burned out ahead of its time.
But to the hundreds of mourners who knew him little yet still
showed up to celebrate his memory yesterday, Jordan
MANNERS became
an icon for the damage gun crime has wrought in their community.
Thirty minutes before the funeral of the 15-year-old began yesterday
morning, the main room at Christian Centre Church, near Jane
Street and Finch Avenue, was already filled to capacity.
Hundreds more people packed the hallways, the balconies and a
nearby gymnasium to watch a live feed of the proceedings. About
200 stood outside the church braving scorching heat. About as
many waited at Beechwood Cemetery.
"I think it really struck a chord in the minds of people," said
Pastor Dino
ANDREADIS, who officiated at the ceremony. "I've
done high-profile funerals, but never like this. I think this
will really make a difference."
The church has a capacity of about 1,000 and Mr.
ANDREADIS estimates
more than 1,500 showed up yesterday.
The teen was shot last Wednesday inside his school, C.W. Jefferys
Collegiate Institute. Two 17-year-old youths have been charged
with first-degree murder.
After collapsing with grief on a chair steps away from his coffin,
his mother, Laureen
SMALL, took one last look at her son. She
then watched pallbearers close the casket and the two-hour-long
ceremony began.
One of Jordan's aunts told how he sucked on his thumb at times
during his sleep. One of his teachers described how he easily
reproduced a complicated architecture diagram in less than an
hour. And the story of how Jordan brought snakes into his house
elicited a rare moment of laughter.
"The world lost a bright, bright star," his aunt, Louisa
MANNERS,
said during her eulogy.
During one of the most emotional moments, Jordan's school mate
and friend, Matthew
ALAY, burst into tears and was unable to
read a speech, which was delivered by a relative. "Jordan, may
your soul rest in peace. I love you," the boy only managed to
utter between sobs.
Other relatives said Jordan's death should serve as a call to
action against gun violence in the community. "He's not a statistic,"
his uncle Gregory
STOKES said. "Don't let his name be forgotten."
As the mourners spilled out in the parking lot after the ceremony,
many young people expressed anger and disgust at the shooting.
"Our young man are dying and dying and this ain't right" said
14-year-old Jessica
PAZMINO, who said she never met Jordan, but
decided to come to the funeral to show support. "Hopefully, this
will teach people a lesson."
"People are realizing that this is disgusting," said Martha
BOTENG,
19. "I see people coming together more."
Beside her, the car carrying Jordan's casket set slowly in motion
toward Beechwood Cemetery, followed by two lowriders - cars with
modified hydraulics and suspension so as to allow the driver
to bounce the vehicle up and down to the rhythm of hip-hop music.
In their wake, traffic on Jane Street backed up several blocks
and the storm clouds gathering above shed a few drops.